The development of a unique class of non-planar push–pull chromophores by means of [2 + 2] cycloaddition, followed by cycloreversion, of electron-deficient olefins, such as tetracyanoethene (TCNE), 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) and 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F₄-TCNQ), as well as dicyanovinyl (DCV) and tricyanovinyl (TCV) derivatives, to donor-substituted alkynes is explored in this feature article. This high-yielding, “click-chemistry”-type transformation with acetylenic dendrimers affords dendritic electron sinks capable of multiple electron uptake within a narrow potential range. An [AB]-type oligomer with a dendralene backbone was synthesised by a one-pot, multi-component cascade reaction of polyyne oligomers with TCNE and tetrathiafulvalene (TTF). In most cases, the resulting chromophores feature intense intramolecular charge-transfer bands extending far into the near infrared region and some of them display high third-order optical nonlinearities. Despite substitution with strong donors, the electron-withdrawing moieties in the new chromophores remain potent acceptors and a number of them display positive first reduction potentials (vs. the ferrocenium/ferrocene (Fc⁺ /Fc) couple in CH₂Cl₂), which rival those of parent TCNE, TCNQ and F₄-TCNQ. The non-planarity of the chromophores strongly enhances their physical properties when compared to planar push–pull analogues. They feature high solubility, thermal stability and sublimability, which enables formation of amorphous, high-optical-quality thin films by vapour phase deposition and makes them interesting as advanced functional materials for novel opto-electronic devices.

Novel donor–π-bridge–acceptor–π-bridge–donor (D–π–A–π–D) type 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole fluorescent dyes connected to the N,N-diarylamino terminus via various type π-conjugate spacers exhibits large two-photon absorption cross-sections and high fluorescent quantum yields in orange-red color.